Being a free spirit is like being the air.

Sometimes your freedom will give you so much power and energy that you will move like a tornado through your life. At other times, your lack of roots may allow you to form a new space, new life or new relationship (even to a fault).

This lifestyle is a dance of patience and fun.

As you spend your time becoming a jack-of-all-trades, many around you will build a life centered on one. As you travel the world meeting new people and learning new things, society will reward those who hold a steady job, steady relationship and steady residency. While others may build their finances year after year, yours will vary like the path of a bouncy ball.

While frugal counterparts are saving all their money for a new car, you’ll spend your savings on a trip to some exotic land or new adventure. At times you will be rich, and at times you will be dead broke (don’t worry, this is when things get interesting). All of these things can be scary, but it’s really quite the adventure!

Guidelines for your free spirit journey.

1. Trust

To move freely through your life you must trust.

Trust yourself, trust in the natural flow of life and trust the unknown. From this space, decisions are made in your gut. It simply will not occur to you to make them from anywhere else, so get comfortable with yourself.

When I get freaked out or I feel like I am taking a risk that I know I want to take, even though I’m scared to, I say to myself, “I know that I am taken care in this.” For me, this means that I know I am taken care of by something bigger. I am watched over by the universe, by God, by my greater purpose and this knowledge frees me from my natural fears.

2. Laughter

Laughing lightens any situation and, as a free spirit, you will get yourself into some sticky ones.

Don’t be afraid to laugh, especially at yourself. Before any situation gets intense there is usually a split second when you have the chance to cut the tension. Go for it like the wind and know that the wind can change direction at any moment.

I was going through airport security a few years back when they found an eight inch knife in my new boyfriend’s bag. A well-timed joke, an apology and the ability to act totally comfortable under pressure got us on our plane, on time. Sans the knife, of course.

3. Own It

Years ago, I was driving with four illegal immigrants in my car (I didn’t know they were illegal until the end of the story). I was confused and driving on busy streets. Everyone was yelling, “Go this way, go that way!” I couldn’t focus so naturally I took a right.

As a free spirit, ideas, dates, schedules will float in and out of your brain. Do your best to stay organized but complete resistance is futile. Strict attempts at organization will often trap the abundance of free-flowing energy.

Though your flighty ways will drive some people crazy, if you own it they will understand. If friends want to meet at noon say, “noon-ish sounds great.”

Never take the only key to anything, and if someone tries to give it to you immediately make a copy. Always have a current passport and never get a pet that can’t tell you when it’s hungry. Keep one of everything in your car: bathing suit, high heels, cash, ID, yoga pants, just for starters.

4. Be Friendly

You never know who will get you out of the crazy situation you have gotten yourself into, or for that matter who will offer the opportunity to get into a new, crazy situation.

It is flat-out hard for me to be close with people who are very grounded or who has a lot of Earth energy. These are the people who pay their bills on time and thrive on consistency. However, they are so good for me! They offer balance.

I once ended up hitchhiking in a foreign country with a friend. We didn’t speak the language, but for some reason, we thought hitchhiking was a good idea. Three guys who spoke no English picked us up. At that moment my friend/travel companion and I looked at each other and knew this was a stupid idea. Thankfully they just dropped us off in the nearest town (trust), but I wouldn’t do it again and a more grounded companion would have never gotten in the car to begin with. But it’s a great story.

5. Meditate

Sounds like this one came out of nowhere, but actually it makes perfect sense. The hard part will be sitting down and getting still on a consistent basis, but you can be a better meditator than you think.

As a free spirit, you naturally live in the clouds, and this is where mediation can take you. Meditation can take you into the formless: out of your body, out of your daily routine and into a metaphysical world. This is a place of freedom. When you come back to your body and back to your routine, meditation allows you to be more comfortable in the solidity and focus that everyday life takes.

I have lived by these principles for most of my life; it’s been a wild ride! However, things are starting to change for me.

My spirit will always follow shiny things down the rabbit hole, but as I commit deeper to what I believe is my path, I know that for now I will only wander so far before I come back “home.”

Durgaya Palmieri is the creator and yoga instructor behind Kula Journal. She recently moved back to the spiritual community she grew up on, Kashi Ashram in Sebastian, Florida. Joining forces with her friends, who also recently moved back to Kashi, Durgaya has found purpose in helping to lead the green initiative Sustainable Kashi, located on the beautiful grounds of the Ashram. Along with yoga, community and mediation the youth of Kashi has set their sites on turning their community into permaculutre heaven!

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4009562 Responseshttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.elephantjournal.com%2F2012%2F10%2Fhow-to-be-a-free-spirit-in-five-easy-steps-durgaya-palmieri%2FHow+to+Be+a+Free+Spirit+in+Five+Easy+Steps.+%7E+Durgaya+Palmieri2012-10-07+11%3A14%3A52elephant+journalhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.elephantjournal.com%2F%3Fp%3D400956 to “How to Be a Free Spirit in Five Easy Steps. ~ Durgaya Palmieri”

I know this is an old post, but as I was reading it is liberating to know there are people like me who are free spirits not letting society trap you down into the routine most of us get sucked into. I will share this post. thank you and continue to let your spirit take you where it will take you.